How The West Was Won And Where It Got Us: An REM Thread

[stip]

Is there a favorite of these boots that you'd recommend starting with? Or just any of 'em?

do you have the official olympia release? you're not going to do much better than that. The two unplugged's they did were also fantastic, but aren't really the same as a big arena show

[matt reeder]

It should be on Dime at the moment...

Don't see it.

They must have banned it since parts of it ended up on Tourfilm. Lame.

[joostone]

There are times where I argue with friends that REM is the most influential band in the last thirty years. And therefore one of the most influential bands in history of rock (where they sit alongside the beatles, led zep etc...)..anyone agree??

Absolutely.

Hm. They're a great band, and I love them. I see influence in terms of bringing "college radio"/indie type rock to prominence, but where else do you see their influence?

I'm certainly open to the argument, but I don't think I've ever looked at another band and thought, "they remind me of REM," or "They're trying to do it the way REM does." Or anything of that ilk.

Just because you don't always hear REM in other bands doesn't mean the influence isn't their. But the best example I can think of is the influence Up had on Radiohead's Kid A.

I've always thought that whatever music a musician is listening to is influencing him, whether you hear it directly or not. It's impossible to listen to art in a vacuum and not let it have any affect on the art you then create. And you always hear about bands like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Radiohead, etc singing REM's praises.

Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Pavement, Radiohead, Coldplay, Kings Of Leon....they all have admitted to be hugely (and sometimes mostly) inspired by REM. You don't have to hear it in the music, for instance I always feel that in his lyrics Thom Yorke always tries to imitate Stipe, in which he often fails.

If this band would have broke up in the eighties they would have remained cult (and therefore more indie cred), similar to the Smiths. Well, I think REM is far superior too the Smiths it's interesting to see that the Smiths are in almost every arthouse (or hollywood light) film...and that somany young indie pop bands cite them as an influence eventhough they sound more like REM...Luckily, REM was both excellent both independent and mainstream....

[Jorge]

I like both bands a lot. Marr was light years beyond Buck in just about every way. Morrissey was a much better singer than Stipe, but a less interesting lyricist. Though REM had the more accomplished career, I don't think they ever made an album as good as The Queen is Dead.

[washing machine]

Just dropped the needle on Lifes Rich Pageant. I often wonder what it was like hearing this album as it was newly released in 1986, perhaps alongside Licensed to Ill and Evol.

[epilogue]

Is there a favorite of these boots that you'd recommend starting with? Or just any of 'em?

do you have the official olympia release? you're not going to do much better than that. The two unplugged's they did were also fantastic, but aren't really the same as a big arena show

I haven't heard it. I'll start there. Thanks.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

Listened to them a bit this morning and i just had to come in here and say, Man On The Moon is such a fantastic song, ive never really tried to rank REM songs, but it really might be my favorite

[washing machine]

That song and the rest of Automatic for the People has a certain magic and charm to it that I don't hear anywhere else in their catalog. Great song.

I've got a bootleg called Dead Giveaway Office spinning right now. If any of you ever come across this one, grab it. It's not good, exactly, but it's a pretty fun little record. If I had to guess, I'd say that it was recorded between Reckoning and Fables, but I could be wrong. Lots of unpolished, drunken revelry on here. Lots of covers.

http://www.discogs.com/REM-Do-You-Remem ... se/2373100

[@SkitchP]

Im not an REM guy, so I apologize if this has been around internetdom for awhile. Keith Law tweeted it out.


really kinda neat.

http://boingboing.net/2013/01/21/rems-l ... igion.html

[pjammer66]

REM left us with a "to be continued" with CIN.
seen this band 5 times in Ireland. Monster tour(Slane castle 95) was their "finest worksong"

of all their albums...i think the dublin rehearsals was outstanding...a must for all REM fans.

...and not forgetting NAIHF.

[washing machine]

Im not an REM guy, so I apologize if this has been around internetdom for awhile. Keith Law tweeted it out.


really kinda neat.

http://boingboing.net/2013/01/21/rems-l ... igion.html

Listening to that was one of the strangest musical sensations I've ever had.

[Jorge]

Pretty cool. Sounds like a Decemberists song.

[nyquillyn]

Im not an REM guy, so I apologize if this has been around internetdom for awhile. Keith Law tweeted it out.


really kinda neat.

http://boingboing.net/2013/01/21/rems-l ... igion.html

Listening to that was one of the strangest musical sensations I've ever had.

Yeah, that was cool. The Metallica one is fun too.

[washing machine]

I missed the bus when it came to Metallica in my youth. As a result, nothing associated with their music will ever sound fun to me.

[@SkitchP]

Im not an REM guy, so I apologize if this has been around internetdom for awhile. Keith Law tweeted it out.


really kinda neat.

http://boingboing.net/2013/01/21/rems-l ... igion.html

Listening to that was one of the strangest musical sensations I've ever had.

I know, right?

[washing machine]

The following web page is the first time I've encountered Mark Prindle. I imagine I'm super late to the party here. In any case, if you enjoy things like this and you haven't read any of these already, here's an informative, addicting little time-waster:

http://www.markprindle.com/rema.htm

[tattooedeverything]

I discovered Mark Prindle's reviews a few years ago. He's... um... interesting.

[Jorge]

(*rests lazily in chair like Christopher Reeve*)

(*laughs uproariously at such a biting irreverent jab at a well-loved public figure*)

(*reads this week's obituaries; squirts intestinal bile out of nose*)

*STOPS READING*

[washing machine]

Oh, that is embarrassing. I didn't actually read this thing from the beginning. I only linked the main page after coming across his review of Dead Letter Office while I was looking for information about that record.

[Chris_H_2]

I've probably listened to Collapse Into Now about 10 times total beginning to end since it came out. I probably listened to Accelerate 10 times total beginning to end within the first month of its release. I know there are some people that prefer the former over Accelerate, but to me it's no contest.